Mosul’s forests struggle with neglect and fires, but reforestation efforts offer hope

NINEVEH — Mosul’s forests, often called the city’s “lungs,” are among Iraq’s largest, with over 70,000 trees, some native and others planted by school scouts in the 1950s. Despite rich soil and favorable climate conditions that helped them thrive, these forests have suffered from neglect, urban encroachment, and fires, with approximately 13.6 acres burned.

The forest area is divided into a 123.5-acre northern section near the Police District on the left bank of the Tigris and a 43.2-acre southern section beyond Lovers’ Street. Both sections depend primarily on rainfall and water from the Tigris River.

Local officials report that Mosul’s forests lost 150,000 trees after the city was liberated from ISIS control in 2017. The remaining trees, including eucalyptus, sycamore, cypress, pine, and mulberry, once supported parrots, squirrels, and migratory birds. Much of this wildlife has since disappeared.

In response, the Mosul Municipality and the environmental group Muthabiroon have launched reforestation efforts, including volunteer-driven tree-planting campaigns. “The forests have lost significant ground since the 1980s,” said Anas al-Taie, leader of the reforestation campaign, to 964media. “In the 1980s, amusement parks and casinos were built on forest land, and after 2003, encroachment increased with restaurants, cafes, and event halls being constructed. Today, the forest area has been reduced to 222 acres, and it urgently needs intensive campaigns and ongoing maintenance.”

A study by Muthabiroon confirmed that Mosul’s forests have lost 150,000 trees and currently hold about 70,000. Despite setbacks, the organization and the municipality are committed to restoring the forests. However, the municipality has lost critical equipment during the 2017 liberation operations, hindering progress.

“Two years ago, we began restoring the forests by clearing debris and preparing the land,” said Faisal Zayan, head of the Parks and Forests Department in Mosul. “Last year, we planted 10,000 trees across 24.7 acres. This year, we have another 24.7 acres ready where we plan to plant 10,000 more trees of seven different species.”

The municipality has also ceased relying on sulfur-rich wells for irrigation, which degraded the soil, and is constructing three pumping stations to draw water directly from the Tigris River. Half of the project has been completed so far.

However, legal hurdles have stalled some development plans, according to Firas Sultan, the technical assistant at Mosul’s municipality. “Some legal issues have delayed our work, and the local government is working to resolve them. The southern forest, for instance, is legally protected from any encroachment, and we’ve halted some unauthorized constructions near its borders,” he told 964media.

“We’ve also cleared invasive plants and reeds and are replanting areas affected by fire with tree species like albizia and eucalyptus, while restricting unsuitable species to maintain the forest’s health,” Sultan added.